


You Have to Be Your Own Hero

by Abbie



Category: Arrow (TV 2012)
Genre: Gen, Recovery, References to Addiction
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-02-16
Updated: 2014-02-16
Packaged: 2018-01-12 15:40:30
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 527
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1190580
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Abbie/pseuds/Abbie
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Laurel at last decides to save herself.</p>
            </blockquote>





	You Have to Be Your Own Hero

**Author's Note:**

  * For [thecoolcheryl](https://archiveofourown.org/users/thecoolcheryl/gifts).



> A five-sentence-fics prompt by thecoolcheryl.

For the first time in a long time, as she sat on the edge of the lake,she actually felt calm and relaxed.

Laurel sat on the shore, her toes bare in the soft grass, hair gently sifted by the warm, late-spring breeze, and just _breathed_.

If she could choose, she’d spend her entire day out here, just watching the dappled, shadowy patterns of the sun on the water through the leaves of the trees overhanging the placid lake. It was so incredibly peaceful, far removed from the grit and dust of the city, a canvas of dingy gray overlaid by too-bright neon colors and too-shiny chrome and steel.

That world was all surface, what you appeared to be, what you visibly strove for and achieved. This place, she could finally tune in to the world within her, slow her pace, slow her breathing, slow her thoughts; she could actually take the time to feel, to mourn, to accept. She could take time to sort her reactions and impressions into meaningful information, _decide_ what she thought, what she needed, what she wanted to do, who she wanted to be.

She’d gotten… _so_ lost. So mired in hurt, and reactionary anger, in desperation and hostile self-preservation—the kind that didn’t preserve the self at all, but instead slowly poisoned it.

She had fought her father for so long about rehab. Swore she didn’t need it, that she didn’t have a real _problem_ ; that she wasn’t so _weak_ she needed help with self-control. She couldn’t even admit she was addicted.

And even after she’d finally caved in, finally let him drive her up here to this  twelve-week “wellness retreat,” she’d stewed in quiet resentment, in scoffing cynicism. But a month later, she’d finally begun to face herself.

It wasn’t pretty. It wasn’t easy. But she’d finally decided she was up to the challenge.

So maybe she did need help. Maybe she did have a problem. Maybe she was broken and hurting and picking at her wounds, letting them fester rather than heal.

But she was ready to be _done_ with that. Ready to let go, to move on. To let Tommy rest, to welcome Sara home, to become _herself_ again, and not just the dreams and impossible ideals she’d built into her head that she _needed_ to be.

"Miss Lance?"

Laurel turned her head to see one of the white-smocked members of the facility’s staff standing several feet back, a polite, gentle smile on her warm, older face. Laurel smiled tentatively at her, questioning.

"The personal hour is just about over. You’re scheduled for a session with Dr. Roth next, I’m to show you in." The woman’s eyes crinkled kindly. "Are you ready?"

Laurel sighed, a little sad to leave the bubble of contentment and clarity she’d found at the lakeside, but stood, brushing off the seat of her pants—still too loose on her even four weeks later—and slipped her feet into her soft, cloth shoes. She smiled back at the woman, straightening her shoulders and lifting her chin. “Yes. I’m ready.”

Laurel Lance had never let anything beat her before.

She wasn’t about to start now.

**Author's Note:**

> I don't normally write Laurel, so forgive me, please, if the characterization isn't smooth. I just really, really wanted something good for Laurel, some chance for hope beyond what the writers are putting her through. And I desperately needed it to be more real than "Laurel willpowers her addiction away and is instantly fine and healthy and happy." She deserves better than that, and so do we.


End file.
